Day trip from Brussels to Essen
Essen lies 198 km (123 mi) east of Brussels, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
At 198 km (123 mi) apart, Essen is a realistic day trip from Brussels: about 3 h 13 min each way by road.
| Brussels | Essen | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Belgium | Germany |
| Population | 1 million | 593,085 |
| Elevation | 28 m (92 ft) | 83 m (272 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+2 (Europe/Brussels) | UTC+2 (Europe/Berlin) |
What changes when you arrive in Essen
Crossing from Belgium into Germany: sockets are Euro, Schuko; the dialling code becomes +49; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648823.
Where to book tours and tickets in Essen
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Essen
Our booking partner lists 568 places to stay in Essen. Of the 326 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (226), and 3 are five-star. Across 103 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.1 out of 10. Guests have left 118,257 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Essen
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Essen from Brussels?
198 km (123 mi) in a straight line, east of Brussels; by road roughly 241 km (150 mi).
How long does it take to get from Brussels to Essen by road?
About 3 h 13 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Brussels and Essen?
No, both are on the same offset at the moment.
What currency do I need in Essen?
The Euro (EUR).
Where can I stay in Essen?
Our booking partner lists 568 places to stay in Essen, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.